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TOP 5: What to watch for in SOTU

VandeHei on what to watch for in SOTU

Kelly and his wife, former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head in a rampage in Tucson, Ariz., two years ago, were two of nearly three dozen victims of gun violence and family members of shooting victims, invited by lawmakers to sit in the gallery for the State of the Union as symbols of the movement to tighten firearms restrictions.

Nugent, a hard-core defender of gun rights, is a guest of freshman Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas.).

Once a low-fanfare report from the president to Congress, the annual State of the Union address has become its own grand-stage political extravaganza, replete with celebrities, made-for-TV moments and now guests who are serving as human symbols of the most contentious political debates in the country.

“I think I’m as strong a supporter of the 2nd Amendment as Ted Nugent or anybody else,” Kelly said in an interview before the speech. “But I don’t think the 2nd Amendment extends to every single lethal weapon that is available, and high-capacity magazines, and that you can buy them without anybody knowing anything about your background. I think that’s kind of ridiculous.”

Nugent serves as a reminder that gun control is not a one-sided debate. He sounded distressed about his decision to leave his guns at home rather than causing a scene – and likely his arrest – by bringing them into the Capitol.

“I even turned in my knife,” Nugent groused. “I feel like a little girl. I’d have to protect you with the leg of that table if something were to happen. I do have my flashlight. It feels unnatural.”

Perhaps it’s telling that Nugent felt attending the State of the Union was important enough to lay down his arms for an evening. Kelly certainly felt that the speech created an opportunity for him to elevate his issue.

For decades now, presidents have used the tickets in the first lady’s gallery box to bring guests who can be highlighted during the speech, often everyday Americans who gained fame through acts of heroism. On Tuesday, the Obama box included Apple CEO Tim Cook and the parents of Hadiya Pendleton, a Chicago teenager who was shot and killed shortly after participating in Obama’s inaugural festivities last month. They were joined by a hodge-podge of folks who could serve as human illustrations of one part of Obama’s agenda or another.